Morston mussels are sadly off the menu in North Norfolk restaurants. The fishery has now become so silted up that it is impossible to harvest the mussels. This will have an effect on the local economy as tons of mussels are sold to restaurants, fishmongers and the public every season.
A Norfolk Trails’ photographic competition that has been running over the summer is about to be concluded with the announcement of the results on the 14th October.
Sarah Sands, a journalist on the London Evening Standard, has been singing the praises of North Norfolk. In a very positive article about the Victoria Inn at Holkham she also extolled the virtues of North Norfolk in general.
The North Norfolk Food Festival is to be held at Holkham Hall over the weekend of the 30th, 31st August. All that is best in local produce will be available to taste and buy.
Jonas Seafood based at Cromer in North Norfolk has negotiated a finance package with HSBC that will allow expansion of its processing facility.
Gallery Plus at Wells is currently running its summer exhibitions. The present one is a varied selection of paintings, original prints, ceramics and jewellery. The exhibition continues on the 16th August with a new body of work called Trevor Woods’ London.
Famous actor John Hurt read to the children at North Norfolk’s Belfry School on the occasion of the opening of the school’s Icarus Library.
It is great news that the Norfolk Wildlife Trust appeal to raise over £2m to purchase more marsh between Salthouse and Cley has been successful. Pope’s Marsh has now been purchased and work will start soon on the new Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre to be built on the same site as the present NWT visitor building.
It has been announced that the first section of the England Coast Path in North Norfolk is to be opened later this year. It will run for approximately 25 miles between the villages of Sea Palling and Weybourne, passing through the popular coastal resorts of Mundesley, Cromer and Sheringham. This is great news for walkers and the businesses along the route.
Doubts are arising that damage to some of North Norfolk’s sea defences caused by the tidal surge in December will be repaired. The Environment Agency are seriously considering allowing the sea back in to reclaim land at Cley and Salthouse. If that does prove to be the case the economic impact on the area could be considerable. Thousands of birdwatchers travel to the reserves at Cley and Blakeney Point every year injecting a great deal of money into the local economy. If the nature of the reserves is changed by allowing the sea back in the variety of bird life will also change and the attraction of this unique part of Norfolk for keen ‘birders’ could wane.